Health

The brain damage that characterizes Alzheimer’s disease may start out in a form similar to that of infectious diseases, according to a new study. The underlying mechanism of Alzheimer’s is very similar to prion diseases like mad cow and its human form, Creutzfeld-Jakob disease. It involves a normal protein that becomes misshapen and is able to spread…

When’s the last time you were guiltily scraping your way to the bottom of an ice cream carton and noticed this message: “150 calories per pint”? Yes, per pint. Foods aimed at helping you slim down have been around for decades, but a recent wave of ultra-low calorie products — such as the 150-calorie per…

There was a time when “fruit flavored” and “cheese flavored” meant “made with real fruit” and “made with real cheese.” Today? It’s artificial everything. Most of the food at your local supermarket is no more authentic than Snooki’s tan. Our fruit comes packaged in Loops, our cheese delivered via Whiz. Sure, it’s edible, but there’s…

By ALICIA CHANG The Associated Press LOS ANGELES — Blame the potato chip. It’s the biggest demon behind that pound-a-year weight creep that plagues many of us, a major diet study found. Bigger than soda, candy and ice cream. And the reason is partly that old advertising cliche: You can’t eat just one. “They’re very…

Somehow this feels like a Vonnegut plotline: population boom equals food shortage. Solution? Synthesize food from human waste matter. Absurd yes, but Japanese scientists have actually discovered a way to create edible steaks from human feces. Mitsuyuki Ikeda, a researcher from the Okayama Laboratory, has developed steaks based on proteins from human excrement. Tokyo Sewage…

Olive oil can help prevent strokes in people over 65, a study suggests. Researchers followed around 7,000 people aged 65 and over living in three French cities, for at least five years. They found those who used a lot of olive oil in cooking or as a dressing or dip had a lower risk of…

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services kicked off the weekend with an announcement thateight common substances may cause an increased risk of cancer. Among those now listed in the “Report on Carcinogens” are inhalable glass wool fibers and styrene that are present in Styrofoam. Authorities have determined these elements as “reasonably anticipated to…